Busy, busy, work, work busy.....

Hi folks it's been a while since my last post but that's because my feet haven't touched the ground lately!
Rushed off our feet at work with one of the team down with back pain (get better soon Debbie), lots going on in the family, what with anniversaries and big birthdays, and the holiday is just a bit of a blur now.


Thanks to Kate's class at Papercrafts on Tuesday the first festive card is in the bag. Maybe this will kick start me, although with a good friend about to turn 40 I am expecting one or two orders for special cards from work mates.


So far I have managed to avoid the Christmas 'thing', but with the shops now displaying festive goods and every crafting email trying to sell me 'Joy' and 'Peace to all' I can no longer hide my head in the sand.   I have promised myself that I will start my Christmas cards in the October holidays (as well as finishing the major re landscaping of the front garden, and having a  few days away.) All in two weeks?

Since the end of August our family has celebrated a silver wedding anniversary, a 50th birthday and are about to have an 80th birthday celebration. Here are some of the cards and tags I made for them.


This always makes me smile 'Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, give him a rod and you won't see him for a week!' How true.

for a special couple

My attempt at a Timmy Tag using what I had in my stash.Not overly fancy but the recipient was delighted with it.

Lots more to come, but hubby is champin' at the bit to use the computer so in the words of Bugs 'That's all folks' see you soon.

The craft Barn

I am now following the above blog. I have purchased several items from the Craft Barn and I have found them to be very reasonably priced and they deliver promptly. thecraftbarnblog. By becoming a follower you can be in with a chance to win the above goodies.

Zen and the meaning of holidays...

Well I finally got my act in gear, and started all the jobs on my 'holiday' list. I got the shed painted in a dry spell  between the soggy bits, relaid a garden path, went to the recycling centre, several times, with loads of  dross, dug the garden, cut the hedge and the grass. I even overcame my arachnophobia and tidied out the greenhouse. Chopped up sticks for the chiminea and planted some bushes in my newly dug border.

As for the inside jobs, well they got done too but only because we couldn't find the' Zen' for playing music as we wanted it to take on holiday with us, and in attempt to find it I turned all the cupboards inside out. Then I thought if I'm going to this bother I may as well have a clear out,  threw out the unwanted bits, tidied and put all the other stuff back -  job done!  No Zen though.

Despite vowing that I wouldn't get sucked into 'Olympic Mania', I did, but whilst watching the telly I managed to finish the last of the 10 scarves I knitted for a local charity shop.

I even managed to make a few cards, had an attempt at alcohol inking and made a gift box

an anniversary card for my sister-in-law and her husband

For a beautiful wee girl 

for  my teenage nephew

For a 40yr old who once starred in a school production of Grease 

What's inside?

All this and a surprise visit from my eldest daughter for the weekend. Not bad going.  Now I am ready for my actual holiday which starts tomorrow!! We are off to (hopefully) sunny Spain for two weeks. I am fair excited.   Two weeks of doing nothing...... gulp! What no crafting for two weeks? How will I cope?
Last year I think I may have been  the saddest person on the planet because I actually took my promarkers (or some of them) with me to Spain, and a batch of stamped images just in case I got bored. I worried for two weeks about my markers because it was so hot!  So this year I am taking stamped images and a small watercolour set, some brushes, some artists pencils.......... what's the baggage allowance again?

Hasta la vista baby!

A stitch in time...

Going Knitting Nuts

Hi there folks, finally the school holidays are upon us (in fact this is week 2!), and I have done very little from my list of things 'to do'.  Every year about this time I make a list of jobs that are screaming out to be done in the house or the garden and I vow to tackle them in the school holidays. This year I made the list then promptly lost it. Not too drastic, as I do remember what was on it but I cannot get my act in gear to start any of them.  I have never felt so lethargic and uninterested in anything. Even card making has become a bit of a chore.(I can't believe I just said that!)  I am blaming it all on the weather.  I can't paint the shed because it's raining. I can't do the garden because it's raining, I can't sort out the garage because it's raining, I can't clear out my wardrobe because it's raining... you get the picture?  Apparently we are going to have an Indian Summer in September......SEPTEMBER.... you won't be able to me my house for weeds if I have to wait till then to get rid of them!

I tried making cards but most of what I made didn't quite turn out right and I felt as if I had lost my mojo... maybe it's been washed away in the rain... I shouldn't complain as at least my house is not in a flood area like some of the poor folks down south who have lost everything. My heart goes out to them.

I haven't been totally idle as I was sitting watching daytime tv and drinking endless cups of tea, I have started knitting scarves for a local charity.  I noticed an advert in the local paper asking people to knit  1 metre scarves which will all be crocheted together to form a huge one to go around the town centre. So I got the needles out and cast on. I am now on my 6th, and although I feel like Edward Scissorhands first thing in the morning I really think it is helping my arthritic joints. All the scarves will then be donated to Blythswood which is a charity supporting people at home and abroad.

Here are a couple of cards which turned out not too badly.

For a friend

Papermania Urban Stamp embossed with gold powder, matted and layered with blue and gold card on cream card stock. I used an embossing strip up the edge which reads best friend, added a butterfly stamped on bright paper and some flowers and ribbon. This card took ages to make as I started with the stamp and hadn't got a clue where I was going with it.

For a first birthday

I did a bit of research into Waybuloo, a CBB's  programme (weird programme or what?), and came up with my interpretation of De Li, one of the characters.
I used spellbinders nestabilities for most of the shapes, a punch for the flowers and sizzix Trixie alphabet for the name.





All joking apart, I have to get my act in gear as these chores won't do themselves, and sure as a cat's a hairy beast Graham won't do them....so I need a right kick up the behoochie to get going... any volunteers?... till the next time folks......

Help, I need somebody...

Can anyone out there in blogland please explain to me how to go about putting pictures linking to other blogs on the side bar? I managed to do it once and now I have brain freeze and can't remember how I did it. I wanted  the picture to link back to http://wiccababe.blogspot.co.uk/.
Would this also work for button badges on other folks craft pages?

It's been a while....

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted something on my blog! Time flies even faster when you work school terms. The summer holidays are nearly upon us and the weather is still naff!
 I have this image in my head that come Thursday the weather is going to change dramatically for the better....don't know why - it never does!
It was our school sports day yesterday, and as always I was praying for torrential weather so that it would be cancelled at the last minute (oh stop it! I am not the only one), but alas it went ahead, and I actually quite enjoyed it.  I had to run in two races and although we didn't get a placing we did get an ice cream for our efforts. Thank goodness it's only once a year.
I have been busy  since my last post, thanks to the boxed baby card I made.  Lots of orders for boxes, cards and cards in boxes, unusual, funny and sentimental. Keep 'em coming folks.
It's a busy time of the year for our family anyway and I've been trying to keep up with the special birthdays and anniversaries this year, but with 7 weeks holidays round the corner I can relax a bit more and take my time over the rest of them.
Something that is bugging me at the moment is seeing so much Christmas craft ideas on web sites and in blogs. I can't quite get into Christmas mode, I haven't had my summer holidays yet! I don't do Christmas until the October holidays (or am I being naive?)

50th Birthday

My youngest daughter (20), was hinting that she wanted a leopard gecko for her birthday. Nae chance! For a start I vowed there would be no more pets after all the fish died, and secondly it would have to live in her bedroom and she would be in danger of losing the tank due to the severe untidiness of the place!! I kid you not. And anyway when she swans off back to uni in September, I'd be the one looking after it and feeding it bugs. I canna cope with the multitude of spiders we get, never mind live crickets.

Instead I bought her a few gecko related items and made her a 'special' card. Maybe this will quench her thirst for reptilia for a while. Here's hoping. 

And in the words of Bugs Bunny.... that's all folks...Until the next time......

Babies, boxes, bunting, buns and birthdays - a right royal do!

Hello there, nice to be back in blogland. With the weather being so good I was taking advantage and catching up with all the outside jobs that needed doing (yeah that'll be right!). Sunshine, suncream and a kindle is more like it. Consequently not a lot of crafting done either. Then it all went pear-shaped (the weather that is) so it was back to the Happy Place for some indoor fun.

This week I managed to cram in a baby card for a friend's niece, a Garden Party Acceptance card for another friend, a birthday card for my dear hubby, and another for my daughter's pal who is obsessed with Titanic.

The Burger Cake

My daughter also made him a lovely burger birthday cake which I was really impressed with. I think she did really well.

She made the bun from a plain sponge, the burger was a chocolate brownie mixture and the salad was coloured icing. It was all sandwiched together with 'ketchup', red butter cream icing.The whole thing looked very realistic, and was much appreciated by the recipient.

Happy Birthday Dean

One way Ticket

 I love making these double easel cards(?) That's what I've been calling them. I made the card, added the roses and then thought it was a shame to stuff it in an envelope, so I made a box to put it in.

I used Nesties for all the scrolly bits, a Forever Friends bear stamp, coloured with Pro Markers, and decorated with handmade roses and some pearls which I coloured to match.

The box was decorated with a strip of the same card punched with a Martha Stewart lace punch. I used Tim Holtz Vintage Market dies for the name.A wee green scroll, some more roses and some bling.

Every year Graham gets either a rugby themed card

or one about beer! This year I took advantage of

all the patriotic colours and made him a bunting card. Hope he's not disappointed there's no rugby ball on it.  

I used dies to cut the bunting, stamped out the letters and cut around them, and put the whole lot together with card and paper from my stash. Maybe one day I'll be making him a gardening themed card (LOL)!

Lastly I had to put my thinking cap on for the next one as I didn't have any stamps suitable. I needed to make an acceptance card for a 'Royal' Garden Party which my  friend Gillian had been invited to.

(She is my best customer so I needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat)

I designed a Family coat of arms for her, and using images of the things I most associated her with, I came up with the following. 

She is very into lippy, curries, and gin and tonic. The lion symbolises her husband and she's the dragon with painted nails and lipstick. (Good job she's a good friend and didn't take offence) Thanks to a website which translates anything into just about any language I even managed to get a suitable Latin Motto.

Which reads 'Numquam Hodie Perdere Lipstick.' (Never let the day be a waste of lipstick).

Quite appropriate don't you think? 

Karen F if you manage to find your way to this site this one's for you

Oh Johnny Oh Johnny Oh Oh Oh!..

Isn't this weather just great! We have had three days so far with no rain and in the words of Victor Meldrew 'I can't believe it!'  Just had a really good weekend too, went off to Inverness with my hubby on Friday night  since it was our anniversary last week. Booked into the Holiday Inn Express, went to the cinema to see Dark Shadows and the lovely Johnny Depp (be still my beating heart). The film was really good, and quite funny in places, not what I was expecting, but we enjoyed it.The guy sitting next to me did too, as well as his Nachos, big bag of sweeties and box of popcorn. Good job we were sitting in the large seats! Then off to ZiZi's for a fantastic Italian meal.

Even managed some shopping the next day. 

I got me a set of metallic Pro Markers which I am dying to try, and a couple of stamps in a sale.  Sourced some Faux leather for my next project (recovering my Granny's old foot stool), and got home before lunchtime. Result. Then Graham went off to Fochabers to watch rugby all afternoon and I had some craft time to get on with a card I was making for a friend's mother-in-law, which coincidentaly featured Johnny Depp.

Packed quite a bit into a day and a half. To top it all I woke up on Sunday morning convinced it was Monday, so I still had Sunday to go! Now that's what I call a weekend.

Here are some of the cards I managed to make, still along the same lines as my last post, but I am really into the inking and silhouettes at the moment, at least until I try out my new metallic pens........

Lilac and blue

I used some lilac card  for the backing, some white card stock cut with nestabilities dies and inked with Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Lilac and Stormy Skies.    

Marion Emberson  Stamps from a couple of sets, a little bit of bling and matching ribbon from stash. 

 More or less the same again but with Antique Linen, Marigold and Shabby Shutters Inks, and some pearly bronze card for the backing. This one is destined for my niece Lucy.

Lastly an anniversary card for a special couple celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary. I can't lay claim to the poem, I saw it somewhere a long time ago and liked it. (soppy or what).

Features Molly bloom Chef, Nesties frame, and ribbon from my cupboard.

I'm off to drool some more over Johnny.......he could bite my neck any time!

Distressed - in more ways than one!

Hi there, haven't posted anything for a wee while cos I've had a bit of a funny old week. Having had the Monday holiday off work, and managed to get some cards made, I was feeling nice and relaxed and ready to go back to the grindstone.  However, a phone call from the local hospital offering me a cancellation for a minor procedure ( which I wasn't due to get done till the end of the month,) sent things spinning. It meant unscheduled time off work, and an onset of nerves which I wasn't expecting for another fortnight. I couldn't get my act in gear, and concentration went right out the proverbial window!
To cut a long story short, everything went okay, but I had to have the next day off as a precaution as I had had a sedative and wasn't even allowed to boil the kettle. I felt fine, although a little bit guilty for not being at work, and I settled down to get some more cards made. Not to be. I had the time, the space the peace and quiet, but absolutely no inspiration or ideas. What a let down. Must have been the guilty conscience at work for having two days off!
However, normal service has resumed after a short but sweet visit to Papercrafts here in Elgin on Saturday, with my new to card making sis-in-law, to see Erika demonstrating Tim's new  Distress Inks. She is an extremely talented and lovely lady who put up with our 'Ooohs' and 'Aaahs' whilst she busied away producing beautiful cards.
Of course I had to buy the inks, and a couple of the stamps, and one or two other bits and pieces and before you know it the mojo was back. Thanks Erica, you're a tonic.

Watch the birdie

I think I need to work on my inking as I tend to be a bit heavy handed, and I had to work to get my head round the second circle having to go on upside down to be the right way up(?)
Simple but effective using Tim Holtz new Squeezed Lemonade and Shaded Lilac inks, some stamps from my stash, and a masking technique which is a bit fiddly but worth it.




My son's friend has just become a dad for the first time so I was commissioned to do a card for the new parents. Armed with a photo of the new babe I produced this. I used pearl card and pink paper from my stash, Nestabilities dies for all the fancy fret work and a Forever Friends New Arrival bear coloured with Pro Markers I added some paper roses, card candy and a few pearls coloured to match.

What a cutie!

See you soon

Val

Find a pin and pick it up.......

Hello again from a very cold Elgin. Don't know what's up with the weather but it snowed here today and it looks like that is setting the tone for the weekend. Last week it was so warm we were out in the playground without jackets.  Oh dear, that means no gardening again,( my back will be grateful though), what a pity.  I will just have to stay indoors in my happy place and craft all weekend!. My son is away for the weekend, daughter number 2 is working on Saturday, and hubby is off to watch the rugby in Kinloss. Peace perfect peace.

I was a bit naughty this week and bought two new stamps which I couldn't resist - the first is a Penny Black image called Stitch in Time. As soon as I saw this stamp it reminded me of the wee mice in Bagpuss and their Marvellous Mechanical Mouse Organ.
The second is a Michael Powell image called Shore Thing.We are really lucky here  as we live so close to some beautiful beaches. I love beach huts and I am really into anything to do with the seaside just now, maybe its a longing for better weather.  I had to incorporate some red white and blue which is really topical, and this is what I came up with.

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside...

Scalloped edged white card, blue backing paper, image coloured with Pro Markers (I might try water colours next time), A frame cut with spellbinders die from red and white Kanban gingham card, distressed at the edges with Tim Holtz inks. Some faux stitching round the edge of the card and frame, but still  it needed something else so I added three wooden posts and some rough string for a nautical style fence.  I had to add a seagull, it was compulsory!

Basic cream card, matted and layered with pink card (actually cheap white card coloured around the edge with a corresponding Pro Marker). Cream Coredinations paper, Martha Stewart edge and corner punch, and of course good ol' Timmy Distressed Inks. Coloured with Pro Markers. Some buttons from my button box and a giant safety pin from my sewing box for the sentiment.

That'll do Micely!

I am sorely tempted to send this to my daughter Claire who has recently had some wee moosies in her flat, but that might be a bit on the 'coorse' side don't you think?

From little acorns.....

I am a happy bunny today because my darling hubby finally got round to putting up the mirror and pictures I have been plaguing him to do for three weeks.  To let you know we have had a bit of a makeover in our house.  It started with a worn patch in the carpet and ended up as a completely new sitting room and dining room.  I feel we have finally dragged ourselves into the 21st century.  I even bought some 'modern' art work for the wall. After being married for nearly 26 years I have learned to be patient (he would definitely disagree with me there). DIY is definitely not his forte.  Now all I need to do is persuade him to put up curtain poles for the new curtains...... watch this space!
Meanwhile I have been busy making what I can only describe as criss-cross cards. There must be a technical term for them, but I really enjoyed making them. We learned how to make them at Kate's craft class, so thanks Kate.
Here's the one we made first...

Looks more complicated than it is.  Some measuring, folding and cutting and voila!  More complicated to explain than it was to make.
Here are two more...


Cupcake Wishes Papers used were from a pad called The Sweet Stack, and looked good enough to eat. I punched some flowers and used patterned buttons from my stash.  I cut the lettering using Sizzix ' Man o' Man' dies

Happy Birthday to Someone Who is Nuts About Bolts

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the gear effect,and distress inked patches of Stormy Skies and Dusty Concord. A Kanban gears set of stamps on mirrored card with Stazon ink for the gears and the small tools stamps I have had for years. I added a few brads. I was quite happy with the effect.   I wonder which man in my life it would suit best?  Not my hubby that's for sure!

Another day, another dollar

Back to work today, and despite the inclement weather, I actually walked. (A whole 10 minutes!) downhill all the way there.  I was really chuffed  because I have been promising myself that I would start my 'fitness regime' for ages.  I always manage to find an excuse to take the car - shopping, bank etc, but I had no such excuse today. Needless to say my resolve dissolved when my good friend Debbie offered me a lift home. Well... it is uphill all the way home.  Small steps....

Anyway I thought I would try my hand at another challenge.  This time it is from the http://sugarbowlblog.blogspot.co.uk/ i.e.
Challenge No 82 Scrolls and swirls

I have used a scalloped edged white card, Ruby Slipper BazzillBasics paper, a white doilly, Strawberry Pip stamp, punched flowers and some gold coloured scrolls from my stash. I used ProMarkers to colour her in. She is definitely one of my favourite girls.

Cheeky!

'Just nipping out to the craft shop dear, won't be long'  Hello again, just been up to Papercrafts to spend half of my 'National' winnings. Spent ages trying to decide (and chatting to Kate), and eventually plumped for a lovely Martha Stewart deep edge punch, something I wouldn't normally have bought, but then it's money I wouldn't normally have had.
Just finished making a birthday card for my good friend Debbie, who is not into crafting and is in no danger of seeing this blog.  She recently returned from an all expenses paid 5 star holiday to Lanzarote full of funny stories, like when she decided to have a jacuzzi bath. She filled the tub, emptied all the bubble mixture into it and turned it on. Lots and lots of bubbles, The only thing was the water wasn't quite covering the jets which resulted in all the bubbles being blown across the bathroom! A bit like when the washing machine goes loopy!

Anyway, I couldn't resist the temptation and this is what I made.
I used a Jolly Nation Decoupage 3D sheet and adapted it slightly. I swapped the glass of wine for a pint of lager and the book for a Kindle. So Debbie! The speech bubble reads `Who needs a Jacuzzi... after 3 Carlsbergs I can make my own bubbles!' I stamped loads of bubbles using Anita's bubble stamp, coloured them in with Pro Markers and, although it's not clear in the picture, I brushed some Perfect Pearls over them to give them a bit of a sheen. Hope she likes it.  (must get the camera fixed)

My first challenge attempt...

Another first for me as I am about to attempt to enter a card making challenge. Haven't got a clue what to do exactly, but I know a son who does. Here goes.
http://www.ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk/  Colour Challenge #18 using the colours Orange Pink and Aqua.

I used papers from my stash, a small Koi Carp stamp which I have had for years and use now and again, Shapeabilities Bitty Blossoms die for the lotus flowers and some gems Again I apologise for the photos as Graham's camera is not performing, and mine is basically rubbish.

What a Grand National that was!

Well it's tradition in our house to pick some horses for the big race of the year. I usually take a quick glance at the names and pick three that I fancy the sound of.  After I had done that I then discovered that two of them  didn't sound like they would last the course and my husband had picked them too so I changed my mind, studied the form (lol) and plumped for Treacle,( cos I like the taste), Organised Confusion (me to a tee) and for some unknown reason Neptune Collanges. The first two ran backwards and the third beat my son's horse by a nostril!  I am £40 better off, or rather Papercrafts will be when it opens on Monday. Kerching!!

All good things must come to an end

Well this is the last day of my holidays and it's back to the grindstone tomorrow. I can't complain, I have managed to fit quite a lot into my fortnight, including a 5 day trip away to Edinburgh to see my daughter,  watch a really great game of rugby ,lots of shopping and generally doing the tourist thing. But the downside of going away is coming home to all the washing that seems to have accumulated and withdrawal symptoms from not crafting for 5 days!
I had a request from a friend to make a simple golfing card for her 80year old uncle and another for an 18year old rock chick/diva who is into the arts, purple and black lace. Here is what I produced (the photos are not great as Graham went off with my camera on Saturday). See what you think.....

Well, here goes! This is my first attempt at a post

Since I am now on holiday, and since I have time on my hands (in theory) I am going to attempt to post my first entry on my blog. Kate - this is down to you!
A Cluster of Butterflies

This card I made for my brother and sister-in-law's anniversary, so if either of them happen to see it before the actual date I apologise in advance. The basic idea was from a card I saw on Pinterest( and if I knew how to link to it I would, that's lesson 2 of posting a blog)
A5 white pearl card with a panel of the same card embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder. The large and medium and small butterflies are Stampin' Up stamp and cut set and the very small ones are from a freebie set of stamps all coloured with ProMarkers. A bit of ribbon from my stash and a Spellbinders bookplate die for the sentiment. I added a few coloured stones to finish. Hope they like it.